cry over spilled milk
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

cry over spilled milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There's no use **crying over spilled milk**.
idiom

cry one’s heart out

Meaning
to cry very hard due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after the breakup.
idiom

chapter and verse

Meaning
to provide full and exact details about something
Example
She can quote **chapter and verse** to support her argument.
idiom

cross off

Meaning
to remove an item from a list
Example
You can **cross off** the tasks we’ve finished.
idiom

couldn’t care less

Meaning
to show total indifference
Example
She **couldn’t care less** about what people think.
idiom

confide in someone

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them secrets
Example
She only **confides in** her best friend.
idiom

cost an arm and a leg

Meaning
to be very expensive
Example
That designer bag **cost an arm and a leg**.
idiom

chart your own course

Meaning
to plan your own path or future independently
Example
He decided to **chart his own course** and become an entrepreneur.
idiom

Crooked as a snake

Meaning
Dishonest or untrustworthy.
Example
Everyone knows that politician is **crooked as a snake**.
idiom

clear up

Meaning
to make something easier to understand or to tidy a place
Example
Let me **clear up** the schedule so everyone knows their tasks.
idiom

cutthroat competition

Meaning
extremely intense and ruthless competition
Example
The smartphone market is a **cutthroat competition**.
idiom

carve out a niche

Meaning
to establish a unique place or role for oneself
Example
She **carved out a niche** as a specialist in art restoration.
idiom

crossing the ethical boundary

Meaning
to act in a way that goes beyond moral acceptability
Example
Using AI to manipulate emotions may be **crossing the ethical boundary**.
idiom

call the bluff

Meaning
to challenge someone to prove their authority or claim
Example
She **called his bluff** when he threatened to quit.
idiom

clamp down

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something
Example
The manager decided to **clamp down** on late arrivals.
idiom

chip away at

Meaning
to gradually work on something to achieve a result
Example
She **chipped away at** her thesis every evening until it was finished.
idiom

chill out

Meaning
to relax and stop being angry or nervous
Example
You need to **chill out** and enjoy the weekend.
idiom

cross the floor

Meaning
to change political allegiance or party
Example
The MP shocked everyone when he decided to **cross the floor** and join the opposition.
idiom

cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility and tension between countries without actual warfare
Example
During the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a **cold war**.
idiom

change the game

Meaning
to introduce something that significantly alters an industry or field
Example
5G technology will **change the game** for mobile communication.
idiom

can't believe your eyes

Meaning
to be so surprised that you doubt what you are seeing
Example
I **couldn’t believe my eyes** when I saw the snowfall.
idiom

cut corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way
Example
They **cut corners** to finish the project faster.
idiom

climb the ladder of success

Meaning
to achieve higher positions in career or life
Example
She’s been **climbing the ladder of success** through hard work.
idiom

check over

Meaning
to examine something carefully for mistakes
Example
Let’s **check over** the draft before sending it.
idiom

cash in on

Meaning
to profit from a situation, often quickly
Example
Several startups tried to **cash in on** the sudden trend.
idiom

cut the cord

Meaning
to become independent from someone or something
Example
It’s time for you to **cut the cord** and live on your own.
idiom

Calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.
Example
The office is quiet now, but it’s just **the calm before the storm**.
idiom

cross your heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise
Example
I’ll never tell anyone, **cross my heart**.
idiom

carry the responsibility

Meaning
to be in charge of something or to be responsible for it
Example
As the project leader, he had to **carry the responsibility** for the entire team.
idiom

cool off

Meaning
to become less hot or less angry
Example
Let the soup **cool off** before serving.
idiom

cover your tracks

Meaning
to hide evidence of one’s actions
Example
Hackers often **cover their tracks** after breaking into systems.
idiom

Crossing the line

Meaning
To go beyond acceptable or proper boundaries.
Example
The diplomat was criticized for **crossing the line** in his comments about the host country.
idiom

couldn't believe my eyes

Meaning
to be so surprised that you doubt what you see
Example
I **couldn’t believe my eyes** when I saw the results.
idiom

Cook up a story

Meaning
To invent a false story.
Example
He **cooked up a story** to explain why he was late.
idiom

corner office

Meaning
a symbol of success or high position in a company
Example
Everyone dreams of getting the **corner office** one day.
idiom

cross your heart and hope to die

Meaning
to swear that something is true, often said with sincerity
Example
I **cross my heart and hope to die** that I will never lie to you.
idiom

come into the spotlight

Meaning
to receive public attention or recognition
Example
She **came into the spotlight** after winning the award.
idiom

catfish someone

Meaning
to deceive someone by creating a fake online identity
Example
He was **catfished** by someone pretending to be a model.
idiom

cut your teeth

Meaning
to gain initial experience in a particular area or job
Example
He **cut his teeth** in the banking industry before starting his own firm.
idiom

circle of friends

Meaning
a group of people you are friendly with
Example
She has a large **circle of friends** from college.
idiom

cut a deal

Meaning
to reach a business agreement quickly
Example
They **cut a deal** to save both companies money.
idiom

carry over

Meaning
to transfer something to a later time or place
Example
We’ll **carry over** the unused vacation days to next year.
idiom

crack of dawn

Meaning
very early in the morning
Example
He wakes up at the **crack of dawn** every day.
idiom

Cultural shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when exposed to a different culture or way of life
Example
Moving from a small village to a big city gave me **cultural shock**.
idiom

change your tune

Meaning
to change your opinion or attitude
Example
He criticized the plan at first but later **changed his tune**.
idiom

call around

Meaning
to contact several people or places by phone
Example
I’ll **call around** to find a venue with parking.
idiom

change one's tune

Meaning
to change one's opinion or attitude
Example
After hearing the good news, he decided to **change his tune**.
idiom

clash of wills

Meaning
a conflict between two determined people
Example
It was a **clash of wills** between the manager and the employee.
idiom

check in with

Meaning
to contact someone to exchange updates
Example
I’ll **check in with** the vendor later today.
idiom

carry the weight

Meaning
to take on a large responsibility or burden
Example
As the team leader, it's his job to **carry the weight** of the project's success.
idiom

come to light

Meaning
to become known or revealed
Example
The truth finally **came to light** after many years.
idiom

Cheer up

Meaning
Become happier; don’t be sad.
Example
It’s not the end of the world—**cheer up**!
idiom

cry over spilt milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There’s no use **crying over spilt milk**.
idiom

cut both ways

Meaning
to have both positive and negative effects
Example
Working from home **cuts both ways** – you save time but lose social interaction.
idiom

carry the can

Meaning
to accept responsibility or blame, often unfairly.
Example
She was left to **carry the can** after her manager left.
idiom

crash the system

Meaning
to cause complete failure in a system or process
Example
One wrong command can **crash the system**.
idiom

carry forward

Meaning
to move something to a later period
Example
We’ll **carry forward** the unused budget to next quarter.
idiom

chalk up

Meaning
to attribute something to a particular cause
Example
Let’s **chalk up** the delay to bad weather.
idiom

come through

Meaning
to do what is expected or promised, especially in difficult situations
Example
She always **comes through** when we need her most.
idiom

come into one's own

Meaning
to reach a stage of maturity or full potential
Example
She really **came into her own** after starting her own business.
idiom

change of guard

Meaning
a change in leadership or authority
Example
There has been a **change of guard** in the ruling party.
idiom

chew someone out

Meaning
to angrily scold or criticize someone
Example
The coach **chewed out** the team for their poor performance.
idiom

catch up

Meaning
to meet and talk after a long time; to reach the same level as someone
Example
Let’s **catch up** over coffee this weekend.
idiom

cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it happens, not before
Example
We will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

come to mind

Meaning
to suddenly remember something
Example
Her name didn’t **come to mind** at first.
idiom

clean conscience

Meaning
feeling that you have done nothing wrong
Example
He can sleep well because he has a **clean conscience**.
idiom

call to arms

Meaning
a call to take action, especially to defend a cause
Example
The leader’s speech was a **call to arms** for all citizens to fight corruption.
idiom

crunch the numbers

Meaning
to process data or analyze statistics
Example
AI can **crunch the numbers** faster than any human.
idiom

change of heart

Meaning
a change in the way one feels about something or someone
Example
He had a **change of heart** and decided to stay.
idiom

cliffhanger

Meaning
an ending that leaves the audience in suspense
Example
The episode ended on a **cliffhanger**, so we can’t wait for the next one.
idiom

curtain call

Meaning
when performers return to the stage to receive applause
Example
After their amazing act, the team received a standing ovation during the **curtain call**.
idiom

Change is the only constant

Meaning
Everything in life keeps changing; nothing stays the same.
Example
Don’t resist — change is the only constant.
idiom

crossed wires

Meaning
a misunderstanding between two people
Example
We must have **crossed wires** about the meeting time.
idiom

Cut one’s losses

Meaning
To stop doing something that is failing to avoid further loss.
Example
It’s better to **cut your losses** and exit the market now.
idiom

create buzz

Meaning
to generate excitement and talk about a product or event
Example
The teaser video helped **create buzz** before the product launch.
idiom

crystal ball

Meaning
the ability to predict the future
Example
I don’t have a **crystal ball**, so I can’t tell what will happen.
idiom

cry one’s eyes out

Meaning
to cry a lot; to weep uncontrollably
Example
She **cried her eyes out** after watching that sad movie.
idiom

carry on about

Meaning
to speak at length in an excited or annoyed way
Example
He kept **carrying on about** the missed deadline all morning.
idiom

cut and paste

Meaning
to copy something with little change
Example
You can't just **cut and paste** ideas from others.
idiom

Carry the torch

Meaning
To continue supporting a cause or idea passed from the past.
Example
Young activists are **carrying the torch** of civil rights today.
idiom

cracks in the wall

Meaning
signs of problems or weaknesses in a system or relationship
Example
There are **cracks in the wall** of their friendship lately.
idiom

chase your dreams

Meaning
to actively try to achieve your ambitions
Example
You should always **chase your dreams** no matter how hard it seems.
idiom

come to terms with

Meaning
to reach an agreement or accept a situation after some negotiation
Example
It took some time, but eventually we **came to terms with** the new policy.
idiom

catch the travel bug

Meaning
to become very interested in traveling
Example
After visiting Thailand, she really **caught the travel bug**.
idiom

code of ethics

Meaning
a set of moral principles guiding AI development or usage
Example
Developers must follow a strict **code of ethics** in AI research.
idiom

cut somebody some slack

Meaning
to not judge someone as severely as you usually would because they are having problems at the present time
Example
He's been under a lot of stress lately, so let's **cut him some slack**.
idiom

carry the weight of the world

Meaning
to take on a lot of responsibility
Example
John felt like he had to **carry the weight of the world** on his shoulders at work.
idiom

Cut class

Meaning
To skip a class without permission
Example
He **cut class** to watch a movie.
idiom

chip in

Meaning
to contribute money or effort to a shared goal
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in** for Maya’s farewell gift.
idiom

caught off guard

Meaning
surprised or shocked by something unexpected
Example
She was **caught off guard** by the sudden question.
idiom

cutting-edge marketing

Meaning
using the latest and most advanced marketing techniques
Example
Our company invests in **cutting-edge marketing** strategies.
idiom

crybaby

Meaning
someone who complains or cries easily
Example
Don’t be a **crybaby**, it’s just a small scratch.
idiom

cross your mind

Meaning
to think of something briefly
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could lie.
idiom

come down hard on

Meaning
to punish or criticize someone severely
Example
The company **came down hard on** employees who broke the rules.
idiom

carry out one's duties

Meaning
to perform one's assigned tasks or responsibilities
Example
He always **carries out his duties** with honesty and dedication.
idiom

come crashing down

Meaning
to suddenly fail or collapse
Example
Their plans **came crashing down** after the crisis.
idiom

carry weight

Meaning
to have influence or importance
Example
His opinion **carries a lot of weight** in this organization.
idiom

corner the market

Meaning
to dominate a particular market
Example
They’ve managed to **corner the market** in organic products.
idiom

Crossing the Rubicon

Meaning
Taking an irreversible step with serious consequences.
Example
By going public with the information, he was **crossing the Rubicon**.
idiom

connect the dots

Meaning
to make connections between ideas or information
Example
Once you **connect the dots**, the whole picture will make sense.
idiom

chip off the old block

Meaning
a child who closely resembles their parent in looks or behavior
Example
He’s a **chip off the old block**—just as kind and funny as his father.
idiom

cold case

Meaning
a criminal case that has not been solved for a long time
Example
The detective reopened a **cold case** from 1999.
idiom

crossing the aisle

Meaning
when a politician supports or votes for the opposite party
Example
She surprised everyone by **crossing the aisle** to support the bill.
idiom

change gears

Meaning
to shift to a new way of thinking or doing things
Example
We need to **change gears** if we want to reach our target in time.
idiom

Cut from the same cloth

Meaning
To be very similar in character or behavior.
Example
Those two brothers are **cut from the same cloth**.
idiom

climbing the ladder

Meaning
to improve one's position, typically in a career or personal growth
Example
He started at the bottom of the company and has been **climbing the ladder** ever since.
idiom

Climb the ranks

Meaning
To move up to higher positions through hard work and experience.
Example
He **climbed the ranks** from an intern to a manager in five years.
idiom

circle around

Meaning
to move repeatedly around something
Example
The hawk kept **circling around** above the trees.
idiom

Cultural melting pot

Meaning
A place where different cultures blend together
Example
New York is often described as a **cultural melting pot**.
idiom

Curiosity killed the cat

Meaning
Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble.
Example
Don't ask too many questions about his past — **curiosity killed the cat**.
idiom

count your blessings

Meaning
be grateful for the good things in your life
Example
Instead of complaining, **count your blessings**.
idiom

Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion

Meaning
A person in a position of trust must be beyond any hint of wrongdoing.
Example
A judge should remember that **Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion**.
idiom

cornerstone of success

Meaning
the most important foundation or element for achieving success
Example
Hard work is the **cornerstone of success**.
idiom

crash and burn

Meaning
to fail completely or suddenly
Example
The new software update **crashed and burned** after launch.
idiom

cast the first stone

Meaning
to be the first to criticize or condemn someone
Example
Before you **cast the first stone**, remember that nobody is perfect.
idiom

check back

Meaning
to return at a later time for an update
Example
Please **check back** next week for the final list.
idiom

come out with it

Meaning
to say something openly or honestly that you’ve been hiding
Example
Stop hesitating and just **come out with it**!
idiom

call to mind

Meaning
to remember or recall something
Example
This song **calls to mind** my childhood days.
idiom

canary in the coal mine

Meaning
an early warning of potential danger
Example
Melting glaciers are the **canary in the coal mine** for climate change.
idiom

come out on top

Meaning
to be the best or most successful in a situation
Example
Despite the competition, she **came out on top**.
idiom

come clean

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you have been hiding
Example
He finally **came clean** about what happened.